Distance
by Mirai-Xenia
Summary: He had glimpsed her from afar, brief glances into her world that rewarded him a smile and a few words. Although each of these visits granted him happiness for many days, the bittersweet edge of it greeted him each time he remembered their distance.


**Disclaimer** I don't own Escaflowne or the song Yubiwa (Ring).

**Distance**

The sun was setting, hues of golden orange and crimson snaking out over the horizon to darken into the encroaching night. He enjoyed this time of day, when the work would slow and everyone would come together. He winced slightly as a loud screech pulled him from his revere. Glancing over the edge of the roof, he saw Merle helping with the food and hissing at any of the children who occasionally pulled on her tail. Fanelia was still being rebuilt, each day more of its former glory was being restored. However, he couldn't ignore the slight twinge he felt during these times. It was as if it all didn't matter, which was a horrible thing to think…

Lying back, he shifted against the wooden shingles and sighed. His eyes wandered to the mystic moon that shined brightly against the darkening sky. She said that from there she couldn't see Gaea, that the sky was black except for a few stars and a single dead moon. Earth… they even had a different name, although not much of a surprise. Yet, it made him wonder. Where were they, if she could not see them?

He reached a hand out, cupping the image of the blue sphere and smiled. She said she'd never forget. It was comforting, to know that she may be looking up to the sky and thinking of him as well. Maybe… He wondered if she would ever be able to come back, perhaps stay here on Gaea… stay with him… Even though no one knew how or why she managed to come to Gaea, he always assumed, or perhaps hoped, that she could always come back when she wanted to.

His lips twisted into a frown as he let his hand fall down to his side. He knew of his duties as king. Once Fanelia was rebuilt, he would be expected to take a wife and rule the kingdom as his father did. Some knew or rather assumed that he held feelings for Hitomi. Yet, many of his subjects were rather ignorant of the fact. All they knew was that a girl from the mystic moon had helped save Gaea. They wouldn't understand his annoyance at finding a bride.

He had glimpsed her from afar, brief glances into her world that rewarded him a smile and a few words. Although each of these visits granted him happiness for many days, the bittersweet edge of it greeted him each time he remembered their distance. He hadn't held her in his arms since she left, almost two years ago to this day. A sigh escaped his lips as the thought lingered in his mind and for the second time that day he fingered the chain around his neck.

Perhaps, if for a moment he could. He knew they were becoming more frequent and perhaps more intrusive, but he didn't care. Closing his eyes, he gripped the red pendant in his palm as her face filled up the entirety of his mind. Then a feeling of airiness filled his body, but only for a moment before gravity took over once more.

She was in her living room sprawled out on her couch with a book in her hands. Her hair had grown out and reached down to her shoulders. The dirty blonde locks were twisted into a messy bun, with a few framing her face here and there. Yet even though she did look older, to him it was the same Hitomi that had saved him from the Dragon that first night and the same that had held onto him so tightly that morning so long ago…

Closing her eyes, and she sighed as she lowered her book into her lap. He wondered what her thoughts were, if perchance they involved him at all. He leaned back against her balcony railing, and allowed her name to fall from his lips in a light whisper.

She glanced over at him as if hearing him and smiled. Pulling herself up, she padded over to the sliding glass door and pulled it open. The wind rushed into her apartment wiping up at her hair and she folded a few loose tendrils behind her ear. There was a light blush upon her face and he wondered if he had caused it. His uncertainty hurt, but after all this time he couldn't push down the doubts that lingered in the back of his mind. She leaned against the doorway; her hands clasped behind her back and gave a small sigh, "Hello stranger."

He caught the slight glimmer of amusement in her eye and watched as another gust sent her hair flying out of its loose bun. She frowned and blew at the strands that covered her face in exasperation. He chuckled and reached out to tuck them behind her ear. Lingering against her face he felt his heart wrench as she covered his hand with her own. How much longer would he be able to endure these brief meetings? "I've missed you…"

Closing her eyes she brought his palm to her mouth and kissed it, "I know." His eyes widened for a moment as she placed his hand on her chest and he could feel the steady beat of her heart underneath his palm. She gave him a sad smile then and gave his fingers a small squeeze, "I've missed you too."

He gazed into her eyes, every impulse telling him to grab her and never let go. Indeed he had tried that many times, but the pendant never granted him his singular request. Closing the space between them, he reached out and cupped her chin and lightly dragged his thumb over her lips. He could feel her heart rate increase and lowered his head, "Sometimes… I feel like I'm going insane." She let go of his hand and he slid it around to her lower back as she curved her arms around his waist. "Fanelia is almost completely rebuilt, and…" He looked up and swallowed the lump in his throat, "And they'll soon want me to take a bride."

She buried her face into the crook of his neck, one hand coming up to wrap its fingers around the pendent he wore so fondly. He wrapped his arms around her and closed his eyes. In his mind, he was quite bewildered. Usually any contact would have the pendant whisking him off back to Gae and he counted his blessings.

Puling back slightly, he poised his hand beneath her chin and made her look at him. He didn't know exactly how to say it, such an obvious thing and yet never voiced. Taking a deep breath he leaned his forehead against hers and felt her breath rush over his face. "Van I-"

"Come back with me."

Finding her eyes, he pleaded silently before her. The statement hung between them like an ill omen and he felt her shiver slightly in his arms. The sun sank behind the buildings beside them and shadows fell over them, obscuring their emotions from each other.

"I want to…" She pulled at his hands and he followed dutifully as she led him inside. He felt the couch before he saw it and sat down beside her. A hand caressed his cheek and she looked so bittersweet at that moment. Her smile was small and her eyes melancholy, and he knew what she would say. Leaning into her, she reclined back and wrapped her arms tightly around him. Her heartbeat resounded in his ears as he played with a few strands beside his face. Neither said a word, perhaps it was because of fear.

Fingers were combing through his hair and he relaxed, enjoying the comfort her body gave him. Something he wished he could keep, but knew the gods would not allow. She sighed against him and he suddenly heard her whisper something softly. Opening his eyes, he tried to swim through his tired and contented mind. She wasn't speaking to him… She was singing...

"_As my tears keep overflowing one after another,_

_I can't see your last smile through their blur._

_Please don't go, please don't go... Stay here._

_Light bursts through the sky."_

Closing his eyes he listened to her voice as it ghosted over him. He knew this song, he had heard it long ago. Breathing in deeply, he allowed her voice to soothe him like a lullaby.

"_Even this insignificant me_

_loved you more than anyone, _

_with all my soul._

_Thank you for all of_

_the precious feelings_

_you've given to me…__"_

* * *

Opening his eyes warily, he winced as sunlight struck his unprepared eyes. He flung his sheets over his head and burrowed into his bed to avoid the offending light. Yet, at that very moment, just as sleep was about to take over once again, he felt a cold shiver run through him. His hand sought the pendent and was greeted by the cool touch of the stone in his palm. It had returned him… or had it been a dream? Clenching his eyes shut, he turned into his pillow. The soft cotton grew wet against his cheeks and he wheezed slightly. He could still hear her voice, so soft and beautiful. 

"_Please don't forget_

_You're not alone._

_Even if we're apart, _

_we can still carry on hand-in-hand."_

He tightened his grip over the pendent to the point that its metal tip bit into his palm; yet, he paid no heed to the pain. Instead he simply listened to her words as they drifted through his mind….

"_I just know that we'll see each other someday._

_If we're together,_

_even if we're far apart, _

_we can gaze in each others' eyes_

_Let's bet everything on all our hopes and dreams.__"_

"_Let's promise each other_

_that we'll hold on to the intensity _

_we felt that day,_

_and live the future_

_that blooms in tomorrow..."_

* * *

The song… well I didn't want it to be a songfic, so there is only a few verses from it. Why did I use these lyrics? The Japanese version has a lot more meaning than the English, so I put the translation from the original Japanese lyrics. I was initially going to put just the Japanese lyrics, but then I knew many people would have no idea what is being said. 

Sad ficlet… but hoped you all liked it nonetheless. Escaflowne is one of my favorite animes. This has been on my comp for a LONG time. It's hasn't been sent to my beta, was anxious to post something. Stuck on Origins and Misplaced at the moment. I'm kind of messing with both. I'll try and get some chapters out soon. –knock on wood–


End file.
